Hello everyone! There are big things happening around the plays again.
The DVD of the third play came out late this spring. The play was based on the 6th novel of the Shouwa series, telling seperate stories of all the Yasha-shuu members, as well as a new storyline especially written by Kuwabara-sensei for this play, detailing the time right after Naoe had to change bodies from Yamaguchi to Kasahara.
I personally liked the third play a lot as well, and will start screencapping and translating what I can this summer - unless anyone with more skill shows up and wants to do it instead.
That aside, on to the newest news:
Just now it was published that the series is continuing, and we're going to get a fourth play! This time the plot is coming from the 8th novel that just came out this year. The play will run from 12th to 17th October. The blog for the play can be found here: http://blog.livedoor.jp/mirage_stage2017/
With that we also got the news that there will be significant changes in cast - most notably, the actor for Naoe is going to change. The former actor, Aramaki, expressed both gratitude about having been able to grow in this role, but also how difficult and painful Naoe's role was for him at times. The new actor was also announced: the role will be taken by Hiramaki Jin (平牧仁). In his remarks in the blog and in Twitter, he seems to recognize the difficulty of the role, and the long history of Mirage and how much many people love it. We have also learned he knows Kagetora's actor, Tomita Shou from before, and seems really excited for this chance to work with him again.
Nagahide and Kousaka's actors will also be changing.
Tomita has also written a blog about the situation (http://ameblo.jp/shotomita/entry-12286387118.html), going over his feelings on the matter. It seems he had several discussions with the staff, and says how it's not easy to accept such changes. But at the same time, he says he wants from the bottom of his heart for this project to continue.
So this is where we are at now. I'm really happy that we're getting a new play, but have mixed feelings about the changes in the cast. I'm not worried about the new Naoe - I happen to know the actor from another series, and was really impressed with his performance there six years ago, altough the character was vastly different.
What are your thoughts on this situation?
...that's for sure :) I was also glad to see that Hiramaki recognizes the difficulty of the role, hopefully he'll spend some time researching the source material to get a better idea of where all Naoe's complexities are coming from, and hopefully he'll be able to convey them better than Aramaki (I, personally, was more often than not unimpressed with his performance). I'm sorry to see Nagahide's actor go, he was a really good fit. Essentially what matters the most for me is decent screenplay and NaoKage chemistry, so, if I see it in the 4th play, I'll be happy.
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Katinka, I am with you on Aramaki. I think he tried his best, but he just couldn't wrap himself around Naoe. It's a tall order. I'm personally okay with a different Nagahide and Kousaka. Kousaka was directed in an unideal way in my opinion, a sort of "I'm going to gaze off in the other direction while talking to you" way. (I know part of my sense of dissonance with that is cultural.) The actor himself seemed fine but I wasn't attached. Nagahide, too, seemed good to me, but I wasn't especially attached. I'm okay with giving someone else a shot.
Imperfekti, thanks for the lowdown! I wish I could read the actors' comments. It would be interesting to get their POV in detail. Thanks for passing along an outline of what's going on. Given that these folks are kanshousha, it seems logical to me to write in their changing bodies, but it sounds like they're not going to do that? I get that it would be a big change from the novels, but it might serve the plays. Ah well. It will be fun to see!
I think he tried his best, but he just couldn't wrap himself around Naoe. It's a tall order.
Right, and it's a shame, really, that they have to use young, inexperienced and, frankly, not very professional actors for low key productions like this one. Naoe's role requires acting brilliance, and I don't think there's a big chance to find that in the pool of actors available to them. So they (and we) will have to make do :) And hope that the guy they've chosen has some good potential (like Tomita) and with time and some guidance can grow. Only that he doesn't have much time for that. Including the 4th play (wich they now have 3 monthes to stage :) , there's only 2 installments left, I think, in Showa storyline.
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Well, I looked up some pictures of Hiramaki, and he's capable of more than one expression. That sounds snide, and I don't mean it that way; I just don't really have access to resources for seeing his performance skills. But I am hopeful. I think he has a good face overall for Naoe, rather sharp and capable of being severe.
Yeah, the face is good. I like the face :)
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